A Sentimental Journey

Summer Holidays

2009-07-01T18:44:00.001-04:00

Taking a Breather . . . .

2009-06-23T16:10:00.002-04:00

Greetings Bloggie Friends! Hope your summer is going along nicely. We have yet to have any real summer weather here in New England, but the weekend looks hopeful, so that's good news!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm taking a bit of a breather. Wish I was headed to the beach, but not just yet. We have alot of extended family issues to deal with, and it means trips back & forth to Massachusetts indefinitely. All is fine, just sorting through some things with DH's family, and in the meantime, it's show season so I'm trying to keep up with that, too!

I'll be back some time in July, and I hope that you will, too~! Until then. . . . . . . . . . Enjoy!

xo P

We Interrupt This Vintage & Crafty Lovin' Blog For . . .

2009-06-19T17:26:00.004-04:00

THIS! My Rachel sent this to me. It's absolutely hilarious * but can it be real???! Do they really make a product such as this?? Oy, I can't imagine! Just take a minute to mute the music over on the sidebar. . . . . it's worth it if you need a good belly laugh! You'll really think this is a skit from Saturday Night Live!

Next Week, we return you to vintage linens and cute crafty projects . . . . . have a nice weekend, peeps! xo P

Sis Boom Sightings & The Flea . . . Phew!

2009-06-11T06:21:00.005-04:00

Greetings All!

We've had a whirlwind week, post The DC Big Flea. It always takes me a week or so to get back in the groove after a big show like that, but we're back in the saddle again. Our booth looked great ~ lots of eye candy for kitchy linen lovers!

I really enjoy setting up the display ~ it varies each time, based on the booth size, etc., and somehow, it all seems to come together.

Today, I'm excited! My pal Lisa and I area headed to the home of my sweet gal pal Jennifer Paganelli of http://sisboom.com/ . Jennifer lives in the next town over from Lisa and I, and we meet at The Elephant's Trunk Flea market lots of Sunday Mornings. Twice a year, she opens her home with beautiful displays that feature her fabrics and other treasures ~ FOR SALE ~ woohoo! Not only are her fabrics outrageously gorgeous, she's just the nicest gal in the world. If you love color beautiful fabrics & more, check her out ~ just amazing!

So I'm signing off for a week or so, lots of extended family stuff to deal with, a trip to Massachusetts for that, and getting caught up on some things. Hope all is well with my bloggie peeps ~ talk soon! xo P

Here We Go Again!

2009-06-05T05:36:00.002-04:00

DH and I have loaded up the buggy and we're headed to The DC Big Flea in Chantilly, Virginia. If you're anywhere even close to DC, this market is worth the trip! Back on Monday with (hopefully!) lots of photos to share * Have a great weekend, Peeps!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T08:19:00.006-04:00

Every year on Memorial Day & Veteran's Day, it's customary for the Veteran's Administration and Veterans of Foreign Wars to replace the small flags at every veteran's gravesite. These flags are not large, just about 10 x 14" or so, but to drive up to the cemetery where my Dad is buried and see them all is an incredibly awesome site. My father was a veteran of The Korean War. Last year, during a trip to Washington D.C., we spent some time at The Korean War Memorial and a subsequent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. If you've never seen either of these in person, it can be quite daunting when you first arrive. The rush of emotion that we felt was just incredible. My Dad never spoke much about the war and his time in combat. He did have a few gruesome stories that during a weak moment of some sort, he shared with us. Bravery=Benoit Nadeau=My Father. My all time favorite photo of him is his army photo. This brave 17 year old was smiling proudly, having had his mother sign off for him to go, he was just too young to sign . . . . . . . but not too young to serve. He came back from Korea, finished High School, went on to College and married my mother. So when I see those flags waving proudly, I bless myself, and Thank God for my father's presence in my life. He died very suddenly at the age of 66 over 10 years ago. I still think about him at some point each & every day, especially today.

My Father in Law was in the U.S. Navy, serving on a P.T. Boat in the Pacific. He too, never spoke much about his time in World War II, but when he did, he was bursting with pride. Bravery=Henry Heisler=My Father-in-Law. He died last year at the age of 87, and when the Naval Honor Guard arrived at his gravesite, I stood proud to be a member of his family, and took the time to remember so many of the things he had taught me, and done for me, my family and our country over the years. He is buried in a very small country cemetery in his hometown of the last 60+ years, and though there are only a few flags in this tiny place, they still wave proudly. He first saw my mother-in-law at an amusement park, then spoke to her at the U.S.O. dance, while on leave ~ a nice young southern boy from Georgia met a feisty Portuguese gal from New England ~ who knew??! He bought her an engagement ring, sent it through the mail in a brown paper envelope, and asked her to wait for him. She did.

If you have a moment please go and visit Becky's Blog. Becky and her husband lost their son Jordan last February. He was a firefighter in the U.S. Air Force, and they, like so many families, are mourning such a deep loss this Memorial Day.

So as you head out to your family reunion, barbecue, picnic, amusement park or backyard of your own home, please take a moment to think about those who have served, and those serving now, so that we can live in Freedom. I, for one, take it for granted sometimes, but this day always brings me back to reality and reminds me of what we have. On the menu today is Foccacia from this fabulous book that has changed my life, Pioneer Woman's Spicy Shredded Pork and Coconut and Lime's Grilled Potato Salad with Broccolini! Enjoy your Day!! xo P

And The Winner Is . . . . . .

2009-05-22T11:29:00.006-04:00

This year I was pretty psyched about the winner of Idol. Kris is so talented, adorable and just seems like a super nice kid! Sooooo happy for him!

I did not jump on the Adam Lambert bandwagon. I think this kid is super talented and he will no doubt have an amazing career. I don't care if he's gay, straight or swings both ways. I don't care if he wears more eyeliner than most girls I know. I don't care if he's different. I embrace different, I grew up around theatre people and did quite a bit of performing myself way back in the day. My problem all along with Adam Lambert is that he's been a PROFESSIONAL ACTOR on BROADWAY in WICKED. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of Idol, discovering an UNKNOWN talent. I also thought that it was extremely unprofessional of Simon Cowell & Co. to practically crown him the winner from the get-go. I now have faith in the American Idol System again, and the most awesome unknown singer won the competition. Congrats, Kris! Looking forward to hearing more beautiful tunes from you!

Sorry to report that I have ZERO photos from our Brimfield booth! Still getting used to my camera and accidentally deleted EVERYTHING! We are doing another show in Washington DC the weekend of June 6 & 7 and I will try hard to be more careful with the DELETE button!

This holiday weekend DH and I have a date with yardwork.

Our lilacs are just beautiful this year, and the crabapple tree is in full bloom . . . . . . everytime a breeze blows by we get a sweet whiff of both ~ yum!

I will, however, not be going near the poison ivy. It's been A MONTH and I swear I'm still itchy and it looks like I've got some big honkin' hickeys on my neck! My kids are all off to parts unknown with their friends, so it will be a quiet house, just us semi-empty nesters and the hounds. Rachel is meeting up with some of her college friends and then heading to Boston to spend the weekend with Bex, who gave her sister tickets to the Red Sox/Mets game for her birthday, for Saturday Night . . . . woohoo! They're sitting in the bleachers with all the rowdies, so if you see two adorable girls that look like sisters, and they're even slightly out-of-control, don't tell me. I'm NOT on a need to know basis with these things any more!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Hug a veteran or service person, and remember those who have served for all of us, so that we can live in freedom.

xo P

That Was a Quick 22 Years!

2009-05-18T17:41:00.007-04:00

As of 12 noon today, there are no more teenagers in our house. Our baby girl Rach turns 20 today ~ That's TWENTY!! As if that isn't bad enough, her sister Becca turned 22 That's TWENTY TWO a few weeks ago! Honestly, it seems like I blinked my eyes and it's 22 years later. So Happy, Happy Birthday to our two beautiful girls!

These two have always been good buds. Well, except for that first year of Rach's life when Becca kept asking us when Rach would be returning to the hospital. She was not all that fond of the new baby all those years ago, but like a tick (!!!) Rachel grew on her. They are now the best of friends and have been for years. . . . .thick as thieves, along with their older brother, Brad.

When they were little ones they played with their dolls for HOURS and HOURS! Dolls, Playing House, Playing Restaurant and with their little Party Kitchen. One year for Christmas, Santa brought the Little Tykes Beauty Parlor and they conned Brad and their cousin Keith into being their customers. . . . . . . hilarious memories!

So here they are at beauty-parlor-nephew's wedding last year, having a blast, dancing with each other and some dude. . . . . no idea who he is.

and here they are a few months ago after one of the UCONN football games. Becca lives in Boston now, but she's only a little over an hour from The University of Connecticut, so they see each other often. Both of them are huge sports fans. They can hold their own with any guy when the topic is sports. In fact, many a guy has been quite impressed with their knowledge of sports. They can give you stats on some of these athletes that I didn't even know existed!

They are so lucky to have each other. My sister, sistadoggie, is my bff and I'm really happy that these two have each other to lean on through life.

Did I mention that my kids are awesome??! You guys get it, right??! Thanks for listening while I brag on these two a bit . . . . . .

Happy Happy Birthday to our Two Beautiful Girls, Rebecca Lynn & Rachel Leigh . . . . Love You Bunches!!!

xoxoxoxo Mom

Home

2009-05-17T10:35:00.003-04:00

Home. Tired. Recuperating. Happy!

Having a restful Sunday. . . . still in my PJs at 10:37 am ~ oh wait, gotta bring the UHAUL truck back. . . . sigh. . . . back when I've completely recuperated from Brimfield. :) xo P

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off To Brimfield We Go!

2009-05-09T15:46:00.004-04:00

It's that time again! Brimfield Week is coming up ~ woohoo! Tons of work, but tons of fun, being around "my people" . . . . . . . . . you guys know what I mean, right??!

If any of you are going, we'll be at J & J promotions, Friday & Saturday, May 15 & 16th, Booth E30. Hoping for good weather and lots of vintage lovin' fun!

Here are a few photos of my booth from last September. Will take more next week, as most of these items are already sold.

Tons of vintage linens!

Kitschy Kitchenware!

Lots of old painted furniture with original painted finishes.

Ohhhh, that birdcage was fabulous! Happy to report it found a good home!

Shabby Old Mantle ~ YUM!

Linens, Old Wire chairs, you name it, we've got it! Come by for a visit if you can.
I'll be MIA for a bit as I've got alot to do to get ready ~ talk soon! xo P

See This????

2009-05-02T18:37:00.001-04:00

It's POISON IVY, and It's made me miserable for two weeks now. Note to self: Next time DH asks me to help him do yardwork, remind him of the horrible person you've been the last two weeks and he'll let you out of it asap. Never had it before this and hope to never have it again * UGH!

I'll be back when I stop itching . . . . . . . .

Tiny Paper Dresses

2009-04-24T17:54:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't already discovered, I'm a fabric person, a textile person, not a paper person, but lately, I'm discovering all sorts of new things about myself, and guess what??! I really AM a paper person, too!!

This is my first real attempt at paper collage, and frankly, I love it! Three little paper dresses hanging on the bakery twine clothesline, just doesn't get much cuter than that! Frames from Michaels sized for scrapbook pages/album covers. I was super psyched when I saw that they came in red!!

Little button red cherries with rick rack stems ~ just my style! Polka dots, gingham and sweet little florals * I would so wear these dresses!

Tiny dried real daisies and rick rack green grass * yum!

Even my little pom pom birdie pincushion thinks it's cute! I'm diggin' it girls, can't get enough of working with paper, just don't tell my fabric stash!

Lots going on here at home ~ getting ready for Brimfield and beyond, selling at The Elephant's Trunk Flea on Sunday,, this weekend it's The Red Sox/Yankees series at Fenway so when I'm not packing vintage treasures up, I'll be glued to the tube. Only problem is, it's gonna be 80 degrees this weekend, so we may be listening to my boys on the radio!

Anyhoo, have a wonderful weekend, bloggie peeps ~ catch ya next week!

xo P

Garden Fun!

2009-04-22T07:04:00.001-04:00

Just listed on etsy! You can find the link over on the sidebar. Speaking of gardening . . . . . Mr. Weather says it's going to be in the 80s here in Connecticut this weekend * WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Have a great day bloggie peeps! xo P

Can Somebody Help Me?

2009-04-20T12:35:00.005-04:00

I'm not too old to play with toys, right?? I mean, heck, I just turned 50 last year. . . . . I WANT this sewing machine. I'm not really even a Hello Kitty Fan, but I am a sweet-little-aqua-Janome-Sewing-Machine-fan. . . . and Mr. Bernina needs a friend, right??? I think Little Miss Hello Kitty Janome would be a perfect friend for him.

I can put it with my DOLLHOUSE right?? See my post below from last week for THAT story! Can someone please comment and tell me that this is normal behavior??! Please help me validate?? Thank you in advance . . . . . AMEN.

xo P :)

The Dollhouse Project. . . . and The Final Update

2009-04-08T07:50:00.004-04:00

So last year, I hit the big one, the big 5-0. The one thing I told myself I was going to do, was build a dollhouse from start to finish. I had no aspirations of finishing this in record time, I wanted it to be a long term project, picking out wallpaper, furniture, outdoor shingles. . . the whole nine yards. I decided that I wanted something that resembled my own house, in shape anyway, rather than a grand victorian mansion, but I wanted it to be solid, not flimsy chipboard like so many of those kits out there. Years ago we had a fabulous dollhouse shop locally. Becca had a dollhouse way back when. It's up in the attic now, just waiting for her . . . . Anyhoo . . . somehow, the holidays came (and went), life threw me a few curve balls, and then a month ago I started thinking about my dollhouse again. I had saved alot of information online, and I've been pouring through those files, trying to decide what to do, how to begin. . . . . . . so flash forward.

Yesterday I walk into Goodwill and there it is:

Solid as a rock, constructed of heavy wood, not flimsy at all, really well made, just waiting for me . . . . Price Tag: $18.00. So yesterday marked the Official Start of The Dollhouse Project. I'm in it for the long run, trying to figure out just where to start??? Inside or Out?? So many plans . . . . I can't wait! I'll surely post updates here on a regular basis, but don't be waiting by the door . . . . remember, it's a long term project! Hope you'll come along for the ride!

So I know you've all been waiting, wondering, hoping. . . . . . The Heisler Family NCAA Basketball concluded with my girl Becca winning it all! What does she win??! The bragging rights to remind us for the next 11 1/2 months that she's been the winner the past two out of three years! I finished a very respectable second place ~ I'm psyched! Rach and Brad tied for third, and then it's downhill from there. Thanks to UJFP aka The Commissioner for organizing the pool again.
and speaking of basketball . . . . how about those UCONN WOMEN???! Amazing Undefeated Season! Mr. Quiltdoggie and I were fortunate enough to attend three of their home games this year, and they really are amazing. So proud of them, and proud to have a UCONN Husky in the family, too!

Now, we're onto baseball season . . . . stay tuned, you know I'll have plenty to say about that!

Happy Easter, Happy Passover . . . . . . Happy Spring!

A Collection of Collections. . . .and an update

2009-03-31T09:05:00.003-04:00

So what makes a collection??? More than one??? More than three?? I think it's really however many you want it to be, and I can tell you that I am a compulsive collector. Some of my collections live harmoniously together, some are scattered about all around our home, but wherever they are and whatever they are, I love them all!

First up, vintage wedding mementos. I love old wedding cake toppers, photos and ephemera. This little vignette features my in laws wedding photo, a tiny photo of my parents at The Toll House Restaurant for my mom's bridal shower. and some of my wedding cake toppers.

Birds & Posies . . . .who knew??! Somehow I've accumulated a collection of old porcelain birds and english posies. I pick them up randomly at Estate Sales, Flea Markets & Auctions.

Granny Afgans! Love them! Can't get enough of 'em. Again, picked up randomly in my treasure hunting travels!

Vintage & Antique Creamers. These are fun, affordable and plentiful. I found the old shadow box frame on an antiquing trip in Maine with Sistadoggie. I think my little creamer collection looks adorable in it!

Quilts! A few of my collection ~ note to self ~ crop out the messy nightstand next time!

Love this area of our bedroom. Another Granny afgan, this one was actually made by my husband's grandmother. She died when he was just a wee one, so it's nice to have this one. It's wool and oh-so-colorful, can you tell that I love bright colors??!

Another quilt, dated 1938, love this one! also belongs in the Vintage Flag collection!

Speaking of Vintage Flags . . . . .

. . . . . and then there's just about anything with Red & White Polka Dots, Fire King Jadite dishes, another favorite quilt.

and plenty of pillows!

Just starting my collection of Old Signs! I love them, this one came from Brimfield and it's awesome! Hoping to find more as our outdoor flea market season is upon us, finally!
Another happenstance collection ~ hatboxes with RED, and of course my Vintage Tablecloth Collection. This cupboard holds my very favorites. Some day I'll show you the whole bunch!

I guess you could say that I have a collection of collections!

Oh, and that update you've been waiting so patiently for?? Becca is ~~solidly~~ slightly nudging me out in first place and Rach is ~~breathing down my neck~~ comfortably in third. UJFP, Mr. Quiltdoggie and Keith round out the bottom three. Tournament resumes on Saturday with UCONN getting my vote to win it all! Stay tuned . . . .

Flowers . . . . .

2009-03-27T09:09:00.002-04:00

Make me Happy ~
Have a Wonderful Weekend! xo P

Idol Chatter and an Update

2009-03-26T08:52:00.002-04:00

First off, let me just say, I'm a HUGE American Idol Fan. I love it, love it love it.
BUT . . . . .
last night while watching, it occured to me, it seems that Idol has lost some of it's magic. The current crop of kids are absolutely incredible, and with the exception of Megan Joy, I really enjoy them all. Actually, I love the quirkiness of Megan Joy, but sorry people, the girl just can't sing, and you can't get by on adorable quirkiness for long. . . . hopefully anyway! It just seems that in the past few seasons, the top contestants are so polished and semi-professional. Take for example, last night's performance by ~~Elvis~~ Adam. I LOVED IT, but this dude has been on BROADWAY (WICKED) for Goodness Sakes! He IS super talented, but I long for the old days when Kelly & that curly mop top Justin Guarini (whatever happened to him??!) duked it out, all in good fun. Or dorkily-sweet Clay and big Teddy Rubin ~ bffs forever no matter what. . . . . oh sigh. . . .Maybe it's run it's course, maybe not. . . . I'm still watching, but it seems to have become a springboard to catapult a bunch of semi-professionals into fame & fortune.

Okay, onto more important things . . . .

I'm happy to report that my dear middle child is now TIED with her mother for FIRST PLACE in THE HEISLER FAMILY POOL. You know, the one that left me that ~~not so gracious~~ very nice comment about my hardly having a commanding lead?? Yep, that's the one. Let me just say, I've enjoyed my time in first place very much, and do not expect to maintain it once the rest of the ~~rabid wolves~~ family members make their picks for today & tomorrow. So here are mine:

LOUISVILLE over Arizona
KANSAS over Micigan State
CONNECTICUT (of course!) over Purdue
MEMPHIS over Missouri
PITTSBURGH over Xavier
DUKE over Villanova
GONZAGA over North Carolina
OKLAHOMA over Syracuse

Now, we're also supposed to pick four teams that will make it to the final four, for bonus points, and they do NOT have to be the same as our regular picks. So for bonus points, here's my final four at this point:

Duke
Pittsburgh
UConn
Syracuse

and ADDITIONAL BONUS POINTS for guessing the total of all points scored in all eight games. My guess is 857.

So today I'm off to accompany Mr. Quiltdoggie to his laser surgery appointment. He's gone through all of the pre-op and today's the big day, left eye first. He's worn glasses and/or contacts for over 40 years, so this is truly a big deal for him.

We'll soon return to your regularly scheduled programming, filled with lots of vintage lovin' chatter. So excited, the flea is opening a week from Sunday . . . . .woohoo!

Talk Soon . . . . xo P

More Hoops & The Amazing Kreskin

2009-03-22T11:03:00.003-04:00

Oh what fun! Seems The Heisler Family Basketball Pool is reeling out of control! They're all in a tizzy over the fact that I have a commanding lead at this point. Contrary to popular belief, I have not contacted The Amazing Kreskin for advice! Remember him?? I remember watching him in the early 70s on The Merv Griffin & Mike Douglas Shows, then later on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson . . . . . I always thought he was amazing!

Anyhoo, I digress . . . . It seems UJFP (Uncle Johnny * The Commissioner) is in a bit of a tailspin. Here's his latest email

"I continue to be in awe of todays point leader. patrice went 8 for 8
yesterday and continued her blistering pace. i for one am waving the white
towel. but noone can see it so i will continue to plod along. i can't even
do a monologue about the pool because it is so impressive i can';t look at
anyone elses scores because my eyes keep coming back to 8 for 8 and 35 for
40 in total. i hope you played a high money pool because you would have won
hands down. good luck to everyone today we will all need it to catch up
here are the totals

patrice 158
rebecca 147
rach 143
brad 143
alicia 124
bill 104
keith 117
john 77

the commissioner"

and then there's this from My Girl Becca's Blog

"Furthermore, our family pool is just out of control. We play round by round, as opposed to filling out an entire bracket early on (it's way more fun picking round by round!) but this family is insane and we start acting like a pack of rabid wolves by the end of day one. For example:

My dad is not speaking to me. He says it's my fault BYU lost yesterday, because he picked them out of "loyalty." (note: i picked A&M in that game- SUCKA!)
My response to this was - "Dad, i don't pick anyone out of loyalty, i pick to win, and that's why i'm in second place."

My dad is not speaking to my sister. In the office pool, she picked Louisville over OWN school, uconn in the Final Four. Dad says she can ask Uncle Rick (Pitino) for tuition money . . . . .

Rach and I are not speaking to Brad. He went to the uconn game yesterday and we did not. We're not happy.

I'll end with my favorite quote of the day yesterday from my dad. "Memphis is the darling of all the Bracketologists, but frankly Bex, i don't know how good Memphis is, since they've only played parapalegic teams." It's going to be a long few weeks :-)"

Hmmmm. . . . .Rabid Wolves?? Notice no mention of the fact that her mother is ~~beating the pants off her~~ slightly edging her out and not rubbing it in, in the family pool??

Then there's this from Brad's latest email:

"is there a reason why people are making this pool out to be over?
theres a lot of games to be played and a lot of points to be had. . . ."

Hmmmm. . . . . I'm sensing a bit of hostility here, which would make sense for a family pack of rabid wolves. . . . just sayin' people . . . . . . .

Hoops & Horror

2009-03-20T16:20:00.002-04:00

Okay, here's your update on the Heisler Family NCAA Pool, straight from The Commissioner, Uncle Johnny:

"Well the first day is over and although the games did not give us as many upsets as i had thought and then were a lot of boring games our pool had many surprises. last years players who didn't do well are on top after the first day. patrice must have put a lot of research into her picks this year as she went 15 out of 16!!!!! amazing she is probably going to rub it in to everyone but we will see if she can continue her hot streak. here are the scores . . ."

patrice 74
rebecca 73
brad 72
rachel 61
alicia 60
keith 59
bill 48
john 24

My response to all was that I will enjoy my day in the limelight, and I likened the bottom three to the bottom 3 on American Idol, they're outa there eventually!

Our UCONN men did quite well! You can check out their score and all of the other games RIGHT HERE

In other news, My darlin' Rachel sent me this hilarious email yesterday. Be sure and read the whole thing. . . . .Her follow up was "Be glad I never did this". Yes, Rachel, I'm very glad. . .

A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was addressed, "Mom." With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:

"Dear Mom: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new boyfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I've been finding real passion with Ahmed and he is so nice-even with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and his motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Mom, I'm pregnant and Ahmed said that we will be very happy. He already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too. Ahmed taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Ahmed can get better; he sure deserves it!! Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children.

Your daughter, Judith

PS: Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbor's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk center drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home."

Have A Great Weekend! XO P

Mirrod * Dirtdogs and More Dogs . . . . . .

2009-03-18T13:41:00.004-04:00

Well it's almost here, my favorite time of year, when my Boston Red Sox spring into action again! Round about this time, I start checking DIRTDOGS on a regular basis. Today's entry is just too darn funny to keep to myself.

Before you read on, if you're a Yankee Fan, I apologize up front ~ but really, even you guys may find these photos pretty hilarious! Here's a preview ~ stop by Dirtdogs for more fun!

Oh Yes ~ Love That Dirty Water ~ Boston You're My Home!!

Speaking of sports. . . . . . . just gotta say GO UCONN!!! The women are undefeated and on their way to another National Championship. The men?? Well, they've had a few issues, but they're the number one seed in the west and I'm hoping for big things from them, too! I'm actually doing a bracket this year, because in this house, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! The prize you ask??? Bragging rights and the ability to strip the crown from my firstborn Bradley. Uncle Johnny is the Official Family Commissioner. He keeps us on our toes and we've got family members playing in Massachusetts, California and Connecticut . . . . guess who came in dead last, last year?? uh huh. . . . . but I'm gonna kick some serious college-hoop butt this year . . . . just sayin' people.

Alrighty, we now return to your regularly scheduled programming, featuring crafty talk, all things vintage, and of course ~ some adorable dawgies! I know, I know, that Red Sox/Yankees thing??? I should just let sleeping dawgs lie, right??!

Speaking of Sleeping Dawgs, check out these adorable little muffin-dawgs! Thanks to Becca for sending them to me!

Have a Great Day * xo P

TechnoPhobia and a Fabulous Fling!

2009-03-17T07:20:00.003-04:00

Top o' the Mornin' To You!

Okay, I've got the GD Twitter thingy set up and I think I've apologized to anyone that got the thing from my address book accidentally! Talk about being a tech-dufus! Anyway, I think I've got it now, and now I've just gotta figure out how to find me some Twitter-Peeps!

Yesterday was a tech-ish day for me, and I don't like it one bit! Not only did I put myself through the TWITTERMANIA, I ALSO HAD TO GET A NEW CELLPHONE!!! I don't do very well with changes like this and I literally BEGGED the guy at AT & T to fix my phone, but nope, he couldn't do it. Fortunately, the phone was less than a year old (and frankly, a piece of sh*t), I do not recommend a PANTECH phone if you're in the market. So Young Gavin hooked me up with a nice pink & white BLACKJACK. I wanted RED but they were out of it, so I settled :) Back in the day I'd get so aggrevated with my kids for being tethered to their phones, but sadly, I've joined them. I heart my phone . . . . . . . .there, I said it! Twas a looooooong day, and I came home to have A Fling and I felt so much better! Now I've got a shiny new phone, a Twitter and I had a guiltless fling, all in one day! Thanks to Nancy for the tip on the Flings ~ gotta give credit where credit is due, y'know??

Hope you all have a very Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Stop over and see BECKY, Doogs and Miss Fiona today ~ they'll surely get you in an Irish mood!!

. . . and if THAT isn't enough adorable-Irish-ness, check out My Niece Adrienne's Blog for some fun photos of Boston's Saint Patrick's Day Parade!

Have a great day, everyone!

Twitter-Newbie-Ness

2009-03-16T20:05:00.003-04:00

Oh My!

Okay, all you super kewl computer wizards out there ~ HELP!!
So I finally sign on up for Twitter ~ looks like fun, right??
Well somehow I've signed up to follow everyone in my address book ~ many whom I'm not even sure who they are (Gmail does that ~ once you get an email from them, they're in there for life * ugh!

IF you got a little Twitter-thingy from me. . . . .SORRY! Still tryin' to fix it ~ Some day soon maybe I'll be able to Twitter along with you ~ hope so!

A Recent Conversation

2009-03-15T09:29:00.005-04:00

DH: Ummm, what's that thing you left out on the stone wall?
ME: Oh, that's an old chicken feeder, isn't it awesome??!! I got it at an Estate Sale today!
DH: Well, what are you gonna do with it??
ME: I thought I'd paint it (maybe) and use it as a planter
DH: Oh. . . . . . . how are you gonna do that?
ME: Probably with your help.
DH: Oh . . . . . .do we hafta clean all the chicken-poop off of it?
ME: Yeah, I think so.
DH: Oh, okay, you'll do that part.

Not sure if he really gets it this time, but he gave it a good try!

Real Life Reality Check

2009-03-11T15:13:00.005-04:00

Well today is the first day of our big spring meltdown, I HOPE!! While DH and I were in Washington DC, all of our snow melted and we're down to wet, mushy somewhat green grass ~ for now! Keep your fingers crossed that Mother Nature is done with sprinkling snow on New England!!

The DC show was great! Tons of fun, met alot of really, REALLY nice people, rekindled some old friendships and made new ones. It's always fun to be around people that "get it" . . . they live & breathe VINTAGE and get it when you say something like "doesn't that old fabric smell fabulous??" DH was GREAT! A humongous help to me, and let me just say, the man can work the crowd! My only problem was that I FORGOT THE CAMERA! Yep, I truly did. Friday we got the booth all set up, just too cute ~ and then. . . . . . . .noooooooooooooooooooooo!!! We'll be going back in August and will take some photos then. This was the first time at this show for us, so I learned what to do and what NOT to do, display wise, so next time it'll be even better!

It's been a long month or so here at CasaQuiltdoggie . . . . .Back in early February, my husband lost his job. He has been in the same industry, working in NYC for over 25 years. The company that he worked for was sold back in November to a large holding company, and you know the rest of the story . . . . gotta get rid of some salaries, business isn't great, blah blah blah. When he joined this company 3 years ago, he left a fabulous job that he loved, for what he thought was a better opportunity. Long story short, it wasn't. There was alot that he was misled to believe, and when he got into the daily grind, he realized that something wasn't quite right, BUT, he made the change, and was going to make it work. . . . . . . . it didn't. Not to mention the fact that since it was technically a "new company", anyone let go had only worked there since November, and the severance packages reflected that. . . . .IT*WAS*NOT*A*HAPPY*TIME! Stay tuned though, because this little story has a happy ending.

That very day that DH called me to let me know that he was on his way home from his job, for the final time, was the one year anniversary of my father-in-law's death. The next day, I found out that my Sweet Cottage Dreams friend Becky had lost her son Jordan ON THAT SAME DAY. Honestly, I got myself into such a funk. HOW could this happen??? WHY did this happen??? Isn't ENOUGH ENOUGH???? And talk about feeling GUILT?? I was feeling so sorry for US, and what Becky was going through was unthinkable. I felt horrible that I felt horrible, know what I mean??! To top it off, my brother had just lost his job a few weeks earlier, and it just seemed that life as we knew it here at CasaQuiltdoggie would never be the same. We both passed the magic number of 50 last year, our youngest child is a sophomore in college, I've just branched out with my business, doing live shows and loving it, DH coming along for the ride when he can, and we're just about empty nesters, ready to settle in for a few more decades, and then this. . . . .
For a few days, DH and I were sort of like walking zombies, just going through the motions of life,taking care of essential needs only. Our three incredibly fabulous children were just that. It is so comforting, in times of distress, to know that you've raised three incredible children to be equally incredibly caring, loving adults. They never lost the faith in their Dad, or me, for that matter, and rallied like champions. Ohhhhhh, and my three silly hounds, how much do I adore The Three Mutt-Keteers??! All three of them are so intuitive, and knew immediately that something wasn't right. I cannot tell you how much comfort my boys gave us during a difficult family time. They are just the best little hounds in the world!

After a few days, DH got a call from the company that he had left of his own accord, prior to the job that he was released from. Seems they wanted him back, and to make a very long story short, he went back to his old job and now it seems like he had never left, though it's been over three years. It's amazing how fate steps in and takes over, just when you need it to.

During the last month, I've really had myself a little reality check ~ I've learned alot, including

1. Life is precious, make every moment count with those that you love.
2. When one door closes, another opens ~ don't be afraid to step right in.
3. We live in a wasteful world. Whether it's money, cheerios, plastic bags, pennies or anything, we are wasteful. I've changed the way I look at everything now.
4. Faith can get you through just about anything.
5. In tough times, you'll really find out who your friends are.
6. Even though I did not vote for Mr Obama, and I do not agree with ~~many~~
any of his policies, I have to have faith that he will get this country moving again. There are so many families going through very difficult times, and many will not have a happy ending as ours did.

One thing I'm learning is how to be a student of COUPONS!! Yep, honestly, there's a whole world out there of coupon-clipping-junkies who are saving some serious $$, and I'm hoping to become one of them. Just today my fab friend Amy over at Four Sisters In A Cottage sent me some serious couponing websites, which I've listed below. I haven't checked them out yet, but I can pretty much guarantee, based on what Amy has saved in 13 shopping trips, that they're worth a look!

http://www.5dollardinners.com/ http://www.organicgrocerydeals.com/forums/view.php?pg=coupon_generator http://walmart.triaddigital.com/In-Stores-Now-Free-Samples-And-Trials.aspx http://thecoupongame.blogspot.com/ http://sites.target.com/site/en/supertarget/page.jsp?title=coupons_specials# http://print.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14505&zid=py13&nid=10&bid=090305200359hpypatwx http://www.redplum.com/SetLocation.aspx?redirect=/pages/Grocery.aspx http://thecouponcupboard.com/ http://www.freeflys.com/MoreFreeSamples.php http://www.shop4freebies.com/ http://www.becentsable.net/ http://attentiontargetshoppers.blogspot.com/ http://www.afullcup.com/ http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/

So there you have it! I do not usually broadcast much of my personal life here on the bloggie, but life as we know it here in this country is changing every day. Times are rough for alot of people, and during this Easter season I've given up feeling sorry for myself, and being selfish for Lent, along with giving up my daily morning bagel, which I dearly miss, but that's another story for another day!

Hope you all have a wonderful week ~ make it count!